The idea that Donald Trump is “softening” his stance on H-1B visas is a myth, according to Scott Bessent. He has clarified that the former president’s recent comments about needing foreign talent are part of a new “knowledge transfer” strategy. This plan involves a “train-and-return” model, where skilled workers temporarily train Americans and then leave the US.
The confusion started when Trump, in an interview, seemed to endorse more skilled immigration. He said, “We also do have to bring talent into the country,” and noted that Americans lack “certain talents” and “have to learn.” This was widely reported as a potential policy pivot.
Bessent’s comments, however, paint a very different picture. He described the president’s vision as a tactical one, designed to build American self-sufficiency. The goal is not to have foreign workers replace Americans, but to have them act as temporary instructors.
Bessent outlined a system of fixed-term visas, lasting “three, five, seven years.” During this period, the H-1B worker’s primary role would be to train their American colleagues. This is a direct response to skills gaps in critical areas like defense manufacturing.
Bessent hailed this as a “home run,” arguing it’s the right move for industries like semiconductors. “An American can’t have that job, not yet,” he stated, but this policy would ensure they can “fully take over” after the foreign “overseas partners” teach them and “return home.”
Trump’s H-1B “Softening” a Myth: The Real Plan is “Knowledge Transfer,” Says Bessent
